Internal-combustion engine



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. INTRNAL-GOUSTXON nwentn Applicationflled July 18, 1819. serial 1W0. 811,253.

To'azll'wiwm it ma concern:

Be it known t atI, ALBERT ERICKSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at 948 Addison Street, Chicago, in the county 5 of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The resent invention has reference to a mechan sm for supplying fuel to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine, the same fin'din special adaptation to that type of engine which operates on what is 1- known as the Diesel or semi-Diesel principle, and. in which the fuel is injected directly into the combustion space of the engine, ignition or combustion of the same being obtained wholly or in part by the heat 20 ofa charge of air or other combustion supporting medium, which heat is due to an adiabatic compression.

Mor specifically the present invention deals with improvements 1n the'type of en- 25 gine described in applicants copending application, Serial No. 205,512, filed December 5, 1917.

The general object of the present invention is the provision of mechanism of novel and simplified design for supplying fuel to the cylinder of an internal combustion en- A further object of the invention is the provision of a fuel cup or receptacle in com- 5 munication with the combustion-space of the engine, which is simple in design and mag. be readily cleaned.

still further object is the provision of a fuel cup or receptacle, the operative portion of which isreadily replaceable or interchangeable without in any way efiecting the characteristics of the englne.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means operating in connection with the fuel admission mechanism to control the power output of the engine.

For the purpose of rendering the invention more clear, reference is had to the ac-.

' companying drawings in which; 59 Figure 1 shows a vertical cross sectional view of an internal combustion engine emhodying one form of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an enlarged sectional elevation of the cylinder head, together with the fuel supplying mechanism;

Fi ure 3 shows anenlar ed elevation of thei 5181 supply and control ing mechanism, an I Figure 4 shows the details of the fuel injecting on and associated parts. W

While t e present invention is illustrated in connection with a single cylinder of a ,four-cylinder engine, it is of course to be understood that the present invention is equally applicable to engines having any number of cylinders and operating on either a two, four or six stroke cycle.

In the figures a cylinder 1, having the usual water jacket 2, is mounted in proximity to a crank case 3 in which is mounted 7 a crank shaft 4 having thereon the usual connecting rod structure cng at its upper extremity a piston 6. ounted on top'of the cylinder 1 is a removable cylinder head 7, in which is a removable valve cage 8 which contains the complete fuel inlet mechanism. The removable head also carries the exhaust valve 8. The fuel inlet structure comprises an air valve 10 which controls communication between an air supply port 11 and the interior of the cylinder.

alve 10 has located in its extremity a chamber or pocket 12, which pocket is closed by a thin steel stamping 13 which is held in lace by a collar 14, the same being in teriorly threaded at 15 and engaging th threads upon the exterior of the air-valve 10. This collar, when suitably screwed in place by a spanner wrench or other means,

olds the steel stamping 13 in close contact with the valve 10. forming the enclosed chamber 12 which is in constant communi-' cation with the combpstion space of the engine cylinder by means of a plurality of small apertures 17 in the disk 13. The peculiar truncated flange shape of the steel stamping 13 not only adds strength to the combustion cup but, at the same time, provides a combustion cup in which the fuel is carried in the form of an annular ring revious to its passage through the convergmg holes 17 to the combustion space of the cylinder. A cup of comparatively large -volume may therefore be obtained by this collar 22 and cooperating spring 23.

ing stroke. The converging of the inlet orifice 17 also acts to center the fuel upon the piston head. The truncated flange shape of the disk 13 forms a relatively large area exposed to the heat of the combustion chamber, and the i nition of the fuel within the cup is there ore readily obtained.

By stamping these disks out of sheet material, uniformity of thickness is obtained. This is most essential upon engines of the type in which an ignition cup is used, this being particularly the case in multiple cylinder engines. It has been found that a very slight variation in the thickness of the walls, or form of the cup, will cause a material difference in time of firing. If, however, the disks for the ignition cups of a multiple cylinder engine are all stamped out of the same piece of sheet material, the uniformity of thickness thus obtained is such that the firing points in the different cylinders all practically occur at the same' point in the cycle of the engine. This uniformit of thickness is also desirable in the case of single cylinder engines. When it 1s desirable to renew or replace a disk the firing point of the engine will not be altered, as would be the case with a disk turned out of solid material.

The stem 18 of valve 10 carries at its upper end a collar 19, a suitable spring 20 being confined between this collar and the valve cage 8, which spring functions to hold the valve normally closed. The valve stem 18 is hollow and has slidably mounted within it a second hollow valve stem 21 carrying at its upper extremity a collar 22 acting in turn against a spring 23 which seats on the main valve collar 19. The other extremity of this hollow valve stem 21 carries a poppet head 24 which is normally held against the interior of the main valve by means of lt ge e poppet head 24 has a plurality of openings 25 drilled therein which serve to place the hollow interior 26 of the valve stem in communication with chamber 12 when valve 25 is unseated. The hollow valve stem 21 slides upon a stationary member 27 engaging the same with a sliding fit. The member 27,

which does not extend the full length of thehollow valve stem 21, thereby forming a preheating chamber or reservoir 26 at the lower end, is for the purpose of furnishing fuel to the engine. To provide a fuel passage it has a central cylindrical bore in which a triangular or flattened stem 28 operates. The bottom of this stem'is formed into a needle valve 29 which cooperates with a seat formed in member 27 thereby controlling the flow of slugs of liquid fuel throu h the opening 30 into the preheating cham er or reservoir 26 at regular intervals during the operation of the engine.

- The needle valve 29 is normally held on its seat by means of the spring 31 between the fixed head 32 and the collar 33 on stem 28. The liquid fuel is supplied by an inlet pipe 34 to the space 35, flowing from there into the interior of the member 27 in the space therein formed by the triangular or flattened stem 28. If the engine is a multiple cylinder one, tudinally of the cylinders and acts to supply fuel to all of. them. The stem 28 carries at its upper end a disk 36 by means of which the stem 28 is actuated at suitable intervals to raise the valve 29 from its seat and allow a charge or slug of fuel to pass into the preheating chamber 26.

The proper functioning of the engine is controlled by means of two rocker arms 37 and 38, which are operated in the usual manner by cams and push rods (not shown) from the er arm 37 cooperating with the end of the exhaust valve stem and controlling the exhaust in the usual manner. The inner end of the rocker arm 38 is bifurcated, the bifurcations 39 straddling the fuel inlet member 40 and acting upon the upper surface of collar 22. The collar 22' carries threaded thereon an adjustable member 22 for determining clearance between this member and the'collar 19. The collar 22 therefore provides a manual means for varying the time and extent of opening of the combustion supporting medium inlet valve with respect to the fuel inlet valve. It will thus be seen that when the outer end of the rocker arm 38 is engaged by the push rod, collar 22 will be depressed opening the valve 24 and placing the reservoir or preheating chamber 26 in communication with the combustion cup 12. When the clearance be tween the collar 22 and the collar 19 has been traversed, the continued depression of the bifurcated end of the-lever 29 will cause the main valve 10 to open with the consequent admission of air to the cylinder from air port 11. Lever 38 which is fulcrumed at 38 carries near its inner end an adjustable stud 41. When the inner end of lever 38 is raised, this stud cooperates with the outer end of a pivoted member 42, the upward movement of which acts against the bottom surface of the disk 36 to open the needle valve 29. Lever 42 is pivoted to a shaft 43 eccentrically mounted in bearin 44. This eccentrically mounted shaft is shlfted or rocked by any suitable form of controlling mechanism, illustrated in thepresent instance as a'centrifugal speed governor, the rockingof the eccentric shaft varying both the extent and duration of disk 36 by the lever 42. In a multiple cylinder engine the eccentrically mounted shaft extends longitudinally of the engine and controls the timing of each fuel valve. It is of course obvious that this'shaft may the pipe 34 extends longi-' matic governing device, or that the same may be manually controlled.

The cyclic operation of the engine is as follows:

Considering thepiston to be at top dead center, the exhaust stroke just having occurred and the suction stroke beginning, valve 24 opens permitting the preheated charge of fuel to pass from chamber 26 into the combustion cup 12, passage of this fuel being aided by the suction taking place in the cylinder. A few degrees later in the suction stroke the main valve- 10 is opened, the clearance between collars 22 and 19 are now being taken up. The suction period continues until a few degrees beyond lower dead center, valves 10 and 24 both then closing. Compression now begins as the piston approaches top dead center and the charge of air contained in the cylinder is com-. pressed to suchv an extent that when the maximum pressure is reached, the preheated liquid fuel in the chamber 12 becomes ignited, the fuel being forced out of chamber 12 through the converging openings 17, the ensuing combustion causing the piston to travel down on its workingstroke, the exhaust stroke following. During the latter part of the compression period, the inner end or rocker arm 38 has continued to move upwardly, the stud 41 engaging lever 42 and allowing a predetermined charge of fuel to flow into the preheating chamber 26 where it remains during the subsequent working and exhaust strokes of the engine. It is to be understood that the present invention is susceptible of variation from the specific embodiment thereof herein set forth and that the same may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: a

1. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with an engine cylinder, of a valve for controlling the admission of a combustion supporting medium to said cylinder, a chamber in said valve in communication with said engine cylinder through a plurality of small converging passages, and means to supply a measured quantity of fuel to said chamber.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, of a valve for controlling the admission of a combustion supporting medium to said cylinder, a recess formed in the face of said valve, a disc adapted to fit over said recess to form a closure therefor, said disc having anaperture therein to place said recess in communication with the engine cylinder, and means for supplying liquid fuel to said recess.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an engine cylinder, of a valve for controlling the admission of a combustion supporting medium to said cylinder, a recess formed in the face of said valve, a disc adapted to fit over said recess to form a closure therefor, said disc having an aperture therein to place said recess in communication with the engine cylinder, means for removably retaining said disc in place, and means for supplying liquid fuel to said recess.

4. In combination with an internal combustion engine. having a combustion chamber and a port communicating therewith, of a valve for controlling said port, said valve having a recess formed in the face thereof, a stamped metal disc adapted to form a clesure for said recess to form the same into a fuel chamber, and means for removably retaining said'disc in position over said recess.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' ALBERT ERICKSON. 

